In the past 24 hours, Leslie Byrne has received three ringing endorsements. Perhaps most impressively, Byrne was endorsed by theVirginia Police Benevolent Association (VPBA), which normally supports Republicans. According to the VPBA's chapter chairman, Bolling blew off an interview with them, which killed any chance he had of being considered for the endorsement. The Bolling camp issued the following lame reply: "I wish we could have made their interview, but we were not aware it was mandatory to be considered." Yeah, just like Karl Rove had a "scheduling conflict" recently and didn't show up for a Kilgore fundraiser. Ha ha.In addition to the VPBA, Leslie Byrne also was endorsed yesterday by the Virginia Professional Firefighters. If you've got a fire, who ya gonna call? The fire department, obviously. What if you need a leader with FIRE in her belly? Who ya gonna call, then? Leslie Byrne, of course. In other words (bad pun warning ahead), it's "Byrne, baby, Byrne" for Lt. Governor this year!
Finally, Mrs. Byrne received a strong endorsment from the Falls Church News-Press, extended excerpts of which are quoted below. Enjoy! (bolding added)
In the gubernatorial race between the GOP?s Jerry Kilgore and the Democrats? Tim Kaine, the issues are clouded, especially in Northern Virginia, by Kilgore?s attempt to throw smokescreens against the fact that he?s a creature of the ideological far right wing of his party.[...].
The same goes for the race for lieutenant governor....Unlike Kilgore, [Bolling] doesn?t engage in smokescreens to confuse voters in Northern Virginia. He just doesn?t bother up here, and has put all his eggs in the basket of convincing the rest of Virginia that his Democratic opponent, Falls Church?s own Leslie Byrne, is just plain ?too liberal for Virginia.?
With this approach, Bolling can be out front in his attacks on Byrne on the ?wedge issues? of abortion and gay rights. He calls himself ?the strongest conservative voice in Virginia? and makes no excuses for pandering to the most backward thinking in the state
Byrne has sought to counter Bolling?s shallow demagoguery by focusing on the ?bread and butter? issues that separate them, like education and affordable health care. She has focused on the financing his opponent has received from ?special interest? representatives of the insurance industry, contrasting that to her commitment to ?Virginia families.? She says repeatedly that she wants to focus on the issues that unite Virginians, instead of those that divide them. In the state legislature and as the first woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress from Virginia, Byrne is a proven campaigner and leader, having prevailed in a tough, statewide, four-way Democratic primary last May and now taking that same resolve to the November 8 general election.
[...]
The election next month is also an opportunity for all Virginians to weigh in on their views of the corruption and cronyism of the Bush administration and Republican leadership that is now coming to light in Washington, D.C. For these and other reasons, we wholeheartedly endorse Leslie Byrne for Lieutenant Governor on Nov. 8.
I couldn't have said it better myself. "Byrne baby Byrne!"